tailieunhanh - Báo cáo y học: "The struggle to detect circulating DNA"

Tuyển tập các báo cáo nghiên cứu về y học được đăng trên tạp chí y học Critical Care cung cấp cho các bạn kiến thức về ngành y đề tài: The struggle to detect circulating DNA. | Available online http content 10 3 142 Commentary The struggle to detect circulating DNA Sacha Zeerleder Sanquin Research at CLB Department of Immunopathology Plesmanlaan 125 1066 CX Amsterdam The Netherlands Corresponding author Sacha Zeerleder Published 16 May 2006 Critical Care 2006 10 142 doi cc4932 This article is online at http content 10 3 142 2006 BioMed Central Ltd See related research by Rhodes et al. http content 10 2 R60 Abstract In various diseases such as cancer autoimmune disease sepsis or myocardial infarction elevated levels of circulating DNA can be measured. However its predictive value is under debate. Circulating DNA in plasma is protein-bound nucleosomal DNA. Quantification of circulating DNA can be performed by real-time quantitative PCR or immunological methods such as ELISA. The diagnostic value of both methods can be impaired by inappropriate handling of the samples. Assessment of circulating DNA in patients admitted to the intensive care unit offers a tool for predicting morbidity and mortality. Introduction In the previous issue of Critical Care Rhodes and colleagues 1 report on significantly increased levels of circulating DNA in patients admitted to the intensive care unit ICU in comparison with healthy controls. They show plasma DNA levels to be an independent predictor of mortality and the development of sepsis in these patients. In sepsis and trauma circulating nucleosomal DNA is positively correlated with disease severity and adverse outcome 2 3 . In cancer changes in circulating DNA levels have a prognostic value 4 . Interestingly in systemic lupus erythematosus an autoimmune disease in which nucleosomal DNA functions as autoantigenic target no correlation of circulating nucleosomal DNA with disease severity can be found instead there is a correlation with anti-nucleosomal DNA antibodies 5 . It is very likely that these antibodies take care of enhanced clearance of